By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – The state Medicaid Agency has begun issuing new identification numbers to all Medicaid recipients to protect their privacy. According to Medicaid Commissioner Carol Herrman Steckel, its part of an effort to comply with a new state law prohibiting the use of Social Security numbers on items for public inspection. Attorney General Troy King joined Steckel to remind consumers that they should guard the new cards and numbers from those who might use it to steal their benefits. King and Steckel, in a joint statement Friday, also reminds recipients to remember it's illegal to lend their card or number for anyone else to use their benefits. Most recipients will learn their I-D number when they receive a new plastic card. The card will be identical to the previous card except that the 13-digit number will start with a 5 instead of a 0 and won't contain the Social Security number. Approximately 630-thousand cards will be issued over several weeks starting this month. Recipients should destroy their old cards once the new ones are received.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)